She snorted. “There you go again. Mr. Big Spender, flaunting all his money. Does that make you feel like more of a man?” He was never selfish with his wealth. She had access to all his bank accounts, but she wanted him to second guess himself like she was doing at the moment.
“I think you remember exactly how much of a man I can be,” he immediately responded. “I proved it to you, a week ago.” He added cruelly. “You’ll be happy to know the scratches on my shoulders are beginning to heal.”
She began to walk away, desperate to put as much space as she could between them. “God, you’re an asshole!”
He stopped her with a large hand on her bicep. “Don’t go.”
“I am leaving.” She shook her arm to dislodge herself from his grip. “And don’t ever grab me like that again.”
He must have been deaf, because his hand was on her arm once more, and his face was growing closer as he lowered his lips to hers. A millisecond before contact, however, she warned him through gritted teeth, “You can try kissing me, if you like, but my teeth are sharp, and I’m not afraid to use them.”
“You’d bite me?” He sounded surprised.
“Like a piranha. I hope you know a good plastic surgeon, if you want to keep those lips of yours.”
He studied her as if he was trying to decide whether she was serious. Then he asked, his voice harder, deeper, “Is it him?”
“Huh?”
“Is he the reason you don’t want me to kiss you? That guy you’re seeing?”
She groaned in frustration. “Nathanael, the reason I don’t want to kiss you is you! I’ve had enough! I’m done!” She couldn’t believe the words coming out her mouth. “I’m tired of the nonsense, and I’m tired of the uncertainty.”
She sensed a movement and turned her head. Monty was out of the car, standing at the front of it with his arms folded. Nathanael was both his employer and half his age, but the older man wanted her to know that if she was in trouble, he was there for her.
She felt Nathanael’s grip loosen. “I’m tired, Nathanael. This relationship has reached its end. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “Youmay be done, butI’mnot. I have no intention of letting this end. And, just so you know,” he lowered his head, speaking just loudly enough for only her to hear. “Whoever this guy is, he’d better be afraid. Because if he—or any other man—so much as breathes in your direction, I will kill them.”
Shaundra felt icicles trickle down her spine.